What Size Drill Bit

M22 x 2.5 tap drill size

19.5 mm

Inches
0.7677
Inch bit
49/64"
Thread
77%

Drill a 19.5 mm hole before cutting an M22 thread with 2.5 mm pitch. The rule for metric taps is diameter minus pitch.

19.5 mm 22 mm thread

No metric bits? A 49/64" bit (0.7656 in) gives about 79% thread.

M22 x 2.5 thread and hole sizes

ThreadM22, 2.5 mm pitch, coarse
Major diameter22 mm 0.8661 in
Tap drill19.5 mm 0.7677 in
Closest inch bit49/64" 0.7656 in
Clearance hole, close fit23 mm
Clearance hole, medium fit24 mm

Why 19.5 mm

Subtract the pitch from the diameter: 22 minus 2.5 is 19.5 mm. That leaves 77% thread, the usual target for a cut tap.

More thread than that adds almost no strength and makes the tap much easier to break. In hard or tough material, go 0.1 mm larger.

Tools for this job

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